Page 53 - Lenten Devotional 2023

Sunday, April 2

Image of God Scripture: Hosea 11:4
I led them with cords of human kindness, with bands of love. I was to them like those who lift

infants to their cheeks. I bent down to them and fed them.

Image of God Reflection

The title to this section of Hosea reads “God’s Compassion Despite Israel’s Ingratitude”.
The Love of God continues to flow regardless of how humans behave or respond. This
verse offers a very concrete, embodied expression of the love of God for humans. Picture

a scene of a family gathering, perhaps a baptism for an infant. All are gathered: parents
and grandparents, extended family and friends all beam at the sight of a brand-new
fragile human, their soft skin, tiny fingers and toes, and that wonderful baby smell.

Everyone is in awe, smiling, pointing out family traits of the baby, as they await
patiently for their turn to hold them. However, only the mother can nurse the infant.
When the baby shows it is hungry by crying or fussing, the mother tenderly picks up the

infant and leans closer to nurse it. The baby doesn’t have to do anything but receive the
nourishment and loving affection that grows every day and helps them grow in stature.
This verse from the Old Testament introduces us to a new image, God as Mother. For

many of us, we were taught that God was distant, ‘up there’ in heaven, and typically
thought of in a masculine way. However, God as Mother provides for us all we need for

nourishment, affection, and love. As the human infant in the story, we receive what is
given; we do not have to earn either the love or the nourishment from God. All is given
as grace.

Prayer
Mothering God, help us to relax into your loving embrace, knowing that we are always

held close and loved by You. Help us to look for Your presence in our daily lives, being
open to your guidance and learning to love others as You love us. Amen.